Without Heart
by The Simplest Writer
Summary: Defeated by Kurosaki and before he could learn about the heart, Ulquiorra thought he was gone for good. With his death comes a second chance as he is brought to a new world. He'll get the chance to learn about emotions straight from the Avatar herself. Canon pairings only
1. Chapter 1

Those gray eyes. They stared at him in pity, even though he was her enemy, her kidnapper. He did not understand. Could not understand as tears welled up in her soulful eyes.

As he pulled away, she had reached out to grasp his hand.

" _Do I scare you, woman?"_

" _I'm not afraid." She repeated. "I'm not afraid."_

 _His eyes closed. "I see…"_

 _Her heart had been right in his hands._

Peaceful.

That's how Ulquiorra felt when he woke up lying flat on his back. He opened his eyes to reveal long grass dancing around him and a blue sky above. He continued to stay in that position as he contemplated. He remembered his final moments in Hueco Mundo, turning to ash as his fight with Kurosaki Ichigo came to an end. Just as he had almost grasped the meaning of heart. Ulquiorra raised his right hand to his line of sight, pale skin stark against the vibrant blue of the sky. He had reached out to the woman with his hand, attempting one last touch before his inevitable end. Even though he felt himself fade away, Ulquiorra was still whole instead of the black nothingness that he believed would come after his death as an Arrancar. Ulquiorra became more aware of his own body, now back in his sealed state. His Hollow bone fragment rested on top of his head and his sword pressed uncomfortably against his hip. He sat up and further observed his surroundings.

The lively setting was completely opposite of the Hollow world, with rolling green hills replacing endless dunes of sand, yet he could tell that this was not the Living World. Was this meant to be his final resting place? He found it... lacking. No other sentient creature in sight. Ulquiorra smoothly stood and held a hand in front of him. He snapped his fingers yet no Garganta appeared before him. He didn't expect it to. It was clear that this was a different world from his own, disconnected from Las Noches, Soul Society, or the Living World. Ulquiorra glanced around and picked a random direction to start walking. It was pointless to remain in the same spot. The Hollow would walk until he found information about the place he was in. He would travel like he did back when he lived as a Vasto Lorde, to wander without purpose, without heart.

The sun didn't move from its place as he walked, making it seem like no time was passing by. Yet he could tell he was making progress as gray mountains and lush trees started to decorate the landscape. Even so, the entire time he wandered this place, the Arrancar hadn't seen nor sensed any other being. He knew other Espada had perished before him, yet he didn't find any evidence of others being with him in this strange place. His thoughts returned to the war waging on without him. Lord Aizen would have finished his invasion of Karakura Town by now with the other Espada that joined him. The Hollow wondered what the result was. Ulquiorra expected his master to win, yet when his mind brought up Kurosaki Ichigo he began to doubt.

He wondered if this was Hell, meant to torture him with a taste of what heart could be, but no one to teach him. His hand brushed against his Hollow hole hidden beneath his uniform, briefly feeling... something. His lips turned downward. Some kind of emotion. Dissatisfaction? He stopped walking, pausing in the middle of a dense forest.

Out of the corner of his eye, something shifted. When he turned to face the disturbance, there was now a building there. One that was definitely not there before. It was medium sized house, made out of white stone and pillars with green accents. Ulquiorra heard humming come from inside, a low pitch carrying a meaningless tune. He stepped closer to the entrance. If it was a trap, the Hollow didn't doubt that he could easily deal with whatever was inside. He brushed aside the green cloth marked with two eastern dragons that acted as the door to the house and stepped inside.

The room was just as unassuming as the outside, with low tables with green pillows crammed into the area. At the far back with his back turned to the entrance was a portly, old man, still humming to himself as steam rose from whatever he was doing. The man turned around, looking down at a steaming cup of tea and still not noticing Ulquiorra standing in the doorway. The man had a white hair and a beard. Human trash. The Hollow turned to leave.

"Oh, I didn't notice you standing there!" The man called out to him. "Please come sit down, welcome to the Jasmine Dragon." Ulquiorra glanced at the old man. If the man didn't fear his appearance of stark white skin with a glowing green eyes and green tear marks on his cheeks, perhaps he would provide some answers to what this place was. He carefully sat cross-legged on one of the pillows on the floor closest to the door. The man brought over a teapot with cups and placed them down on the low table before him. Lord Aizen had served a type of black tea during the Espada meetings. Dark, opaque, and heavy.

The tea that was poured in front of him was a pale green, softly flowing into his cup. The man sat opposite of him, settling down with a loud sigh.

"Where am I?" Ulquiorra asked bluntly.

The elder only let out a chuckle at his question. "Please, drink first. I promise to answer all your questions."

The Hollow glanced down at the steaming cup before him. It had no handle unlike the teacups Aizen had used. He grasped it and brought it to his lips but did not take a sip. He looked back up to the old man who was enthusiastically drinking his tea. Not poisoned then. As the warm liquid slid down his throat, he felt something again. It was warm, almost a fuzzy kind of emotion. Soothing.

"I'm glad you're enjoying my jasmine tea, it's my house signature. Then again I can't really call this place a tea shop without paying customers." The man let out another chuckle. "My name is Iroh. What about you, young man?"

"Ulquiorra. Where am I?" He repeated.

Iroh blinked. "That's quite an interesting name. As for where you are, this is the spirit world."

"Impossible. Unless this is the Sereitei or Hell, this is no spirit world."

The old man hummed thoughtfully. "I've never heard of places like those before. All I know is that there is simply this one spirit world."

"I see." Ulquiorra sipped at his tea. This was no longer his world, that was clear. No mention of Soul Reapers or Hollows.

"You look troubled, Ulquiorra. Why don't you tell this old man some of your worries? If they're lady troubles, I can happily give you a few pointers." Iroh wiggled his eyebrows as a large grin spread across his face.

There had been no change of expression on the Hollow's face since the conversation had started. Ulquiorra didn't bother pointing out that he was most likely multiple times older than this man, but the Hollow didn't find any fault in telling the tea maker his wish. Perhaps this interaction would be useful towards his goal. "I wish to find the meaning of heart." Iroh's face lost its smile. "What is this "heart"? If I tear open a human's chest, will I see it there? If I smash open their skull, will I see it there?" He briefly unzipped his top so that Iroh could see his Hollow hole before hiding it once more. The man almost lost his grip on his teacup. "I have never been able to grasp this concept until recently. A woman and a man trying to save her allowed me to observe such a notion. In the end, I perished, too late to understand that emotions do exist within. My kind is meant to be hollow, yet time after time I see them express themselves using human emotions. I am the only one who remains completely devoid of such feelings. I wish to learn about the heart."

Iroh's expression shifted to one of pity instead of fear or confusion. "I see. Unfortunately, I don't think I can help you."

Ulquiorra abruptly stood. This had been a waste of his time.

"Please wait! You're almost as impatient as my nephew," Iroh murmured under his breath. "Although I believe I cannot completely help you in your quest, I can certainly direct you in the right direction." The old man slowly stood up and brush off invisible dust from his robes.

Iroh passed by him and went to the entrance of his tea shop, holding open one of the entrance flaps. "Follow me."

When Ulquiorra exited the house, he realized they were in a completely different place than when he entered. On the horizon, he could make out a large tree trunk as well as two craters on either side. The landmarks were still quite far from their current location. "We'll be headed over there. It's quite a long journey." The old man patted his rotund stomach. "Though, I could use a nice walk."

Together they headed through lands filled with jagged pillars of stone, almost if mountain tops had toppled over in various degrees. Ulquiorra had no reason to trust this old man, yet Iroh had been his only source of information so far. With his willingness to help him find heart, the Hollow could detect no lies coming from the human spirit. As they walked, the old man started telling stories about his life, wanting to fill the silence between them. The man could hold a one-sided conversation very well and was definitely less annoying than Yammy. And so, when Iroh spoke of his adventures with his nephew as well as the tale of the Avatar and his companions, Ulquiorra listened to closely. It seemed even the living world was different from his own, filled with humans that could control one of four elements, excluding the Avatar, who could control all four. Although he had never paid attention to the humans of his own world, the Hollow knew developing special powers was not the norm. The woman and her friends seemed to be the exception. Iroh allowed Ulquiorra's brief questions, explaining his answers in great detail. Even though Iroh would sometimes go on and on about one story or another, the old general was a good source of information.

On and on, Iroh told the tales of his adventure with his nephew. How the two were exiled from their home nation on an impossible quest to find the Avatar, who had not been seen for a hundred years. How, later into their journey, his nephew had a change of heart and became an ally of the Avatar instead, going against his own father. It was an interesting story, one that allowed Ulquiorra some more insight into the human heart. The story concluded with the Fire Lord's defeat and the restoration of peace between the four nations.

They stopped on the edge of the barren crater, jagged rocks sprouted up around them. The tree in the center was thick and knotted. No leaves stayed on its branches and a hole was in the center of the trunk. A thick coat of reiatsu was in the air, saturating the area. Most of it came from the tree, yet two points on either side of the tree also radiated a good about of spiritual energy. Ribbons of pointed rocks and rivers of water ran through the crater, swirling around each point.

"I'm afraid this is as far as I can go." Iroh sighed. "The place you see before you is an intersection between the spirit world and the physical world. In the center holds the Tree of Time, whose roots are said to bind the two worlds together." He motioned to the two glowing points. "Those are the spirit portals that lead back to the physical world's North and South Pole. I believe that if you cross over, you can find a person who can help you with your heart." Iroh reached up and patted the Hollow's thin shoulder. "Although they are sealed at the moment, I think you came just right at the moment."

Ulquiorra stepped forward and nodded over his shoulder back at Iroh. "Thank you."

The old man grinned back. "You're a strong boy, Ulquiorra." Just before the Arrancar used Sonido to reach the point closest to him, he heard Iroh call out. "Find the Avatar! Help her and she will help you." And so, the Hollow vanished, reappearing closer to the glowing white spot.

Disappearing and reappearing, he came closer and closer to the supposed portal. He finally stopped on the rim of the light, shining so brightly that he had to squint. Its containment was rounded almost like a bubble, ready to burst. Now standing closer to the tree as well as the portal, the pressure nearly made his knees buckle. The Hollow knew the power contained was dangerous, yet he had nothing to lose. Either he would find the meaning of heart or simply die once more, maybe permanently this time. He pressed his hand against the light. It turned out the barrier sealing away the portal was more solid than it seemed. He flicked it, with more than enough power to shatter a wall in Las Noches. There was no change in the seal. He formed his hand into a piercing stance, ready to puncture through just like he did with most of his victims. Ulquiorra's hand blurred as he stabbed forward but was stopped once more by the barrier. It would seem that it would take more power to break the seal.

While Ulquiorra consolidated a small sphere of glowing green energy, in the physical world, a teenage girl fought against dark spirits that attempted to deter her from reaching the South Pole's spirit portal. Her eyes glowed a brilliant white as she hung upside down from the strands of dark spirits. Her hand reached towards the glowing light below the unbreakable ice. Reaching, reaching, reaching.

Contact.

" **Cero.** "

Green mixed with the pillar of light that expanded to swallow the area around it. Ulquiorra was too slow to Sonido away, succumbing to the green-tinted light. It burned away at his body, so much so that Ulquiorra gritted his teeth in pain. His regeneration did nothing to stop the light from eating away at his form. He would die a second time. He could feel his Hollow mask fragment disintegrate, fading from his head. Yet, the white ash of his mask surrounded him, swirling about as he travelled through the light. The ash suddenly attacked his Hollow hole, filling it completely. The pain started to subside.

The harsh light faded from his vision, leaving behind him standing in the center of a soft green glow. Ulquiorra straightened from his crouching position, almost stumbling. He felt his Hollow hole through his white uniform. It was gone, yet he could feel the hardness of his Hollow mask where his hole originally was, feeling the difference between his own skin and the filled hole. Luckily his zanpakuto still rested by his side. His reiatsu had also exponentially decreased, now being as weak as perhaps a fifth seat Soul Reaper. How pitiful.

The Hollow carefully stepped out of the pillar of gentle light, revealing him to be standing in an arctic region. Trees surrounded him, sprouting from the ice and snow below and thawing from the ice that had encased them before. Those that had been fully freed from their icy prison started to grow leaves at an accelerated rate, leaving him standing in the middle of a forest. It was startling to him that he started to _feel_ cold. As a spirit, he should be immune to the weather of the environment, yet a stinging pain ran across his skin. He ignored it for the time being.

A groan brought his attention to the body lying in front of him. A teenage girl was sprawled out in front of him. She was dressed in a thick blue coat and pants, made for handling such a cold environment. Though when Ulquiorra looked at her using his Pesquisa, she was a glowing beacon, holding the power of a Soul Reaper ranked Lieutenant or even Captain. But it was muted, hidden deep within the girl's spirit.

The girl groaned again and started to climb back to her feet. The Hollow continued to stare as she rubbed the back of her head to soothe her pain. She finally opened her eyes, revealing bright blue color beneath. The girl first caught sight of the green light shooting out of the ground and sprawling out in various tendrils in the night sky. She gasped at such a beautiful sight. "The spirits dancing in the sky."

However, her eyes drifted back down and landed upon his pale form, almost blending into the snow around them. She let out a loud scream and blasted fire from her fists.

Ulquiorra's eyes marginally widened in surprise as he dodged out of the way with Sonido. As he landed slightly to the right, he felt slightly winded. He almost rolled his eyes at his weaken state.

When girl realized that he wasn't going to attack, she slowly lowered her hands yet kept them ready to attack at a moment's notice. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

Ulquiorra placed his hands in his pockets. Now that the girl was awake, the glowing bundle of energy within her almost disappeared, leaving behind a regular human. He hoped this wasn't the human he was sent to find, but something told him otherwise. "I have come from the spirit world. I am looking for the Avatar."

She let out a soft gasp, "A spirit!" Since he _technically_ was a spirit, Ulquiorra didn't bother correcting her. The girl straightened up in an attempt to look more serious. She cleared her throat. "Ah, yes! I am Avatar Korra, how can I assist you, noble spirit?"

Ulquiorra stared at her blankly.

-WH-

" _Noble spirit"?! Korra, what is wrong with you?_ The young Avatar thought to herself, wanting to slap herself in the face. She wanted to make a good impression on the first spirit that hadn't attack her, not make a fool of herself. Korra observed the spirit more closely.

He could almost pass as a human if one could ignore all of his odd features. His skin was practically white, with no hint of pigment to it, and his hair was an inky black. In his outfit of black and white, the spirit looked as if he came from black and white photograph. The only hint of color on him was his eyes and marks on his face. His eyes were green and cat-like, revealing no emotions within. Green lines trailed down his face from his eyes, almost like tear tracks. A sword hung from a black sash at his waist, marking him as a warrior. But other than that, there were no other odd features about him. He was small and thin, probably even the same height as her.

He even asked for her by title! This was going to be her first task in becoming the bridge between the spirit and physical world. Helping a lost spirit would definitely qualify her as a spiritual guide.

A few moments passed by in silence. Finally, the spirit answered her. "I am Ulquiorra, and I require you to teach me about the human heart and its emotions."

… _huh?_

He continued, most likely see the confusion on her face, speaking again in that monotonous tone. "I have never been able to grasp human emotions like others of my kind. They fought for reasons I do not understand. I wish to understand."

It was… sad. A spirit that couldn't understand feelings like love or happiness. Korra couldn't comprehend living such a life. Those blank green eyes told her the truth. Her fists clenched. She was resolved. "Then I'll teach you!"

The spirit blinked.

She pointed at herself with her thumb. "Stick with me, Ulquiorra, and my friends and I will get you that human heart in no time!" She relaxed her pose. "Not literally, of course."

Ulquiorra kept that blank, creepy stare on her for another moment before nodding. He turned towards the way that she came in and started walking away. "Your companions are waiting for you."

Korra rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Oh yeah, almost forgot about them. You're going to have a great time with us. You see we're kind of a big de-" She realized that Ulquiorra was still walking farther away from her. "Hey, wait up!"

* * *

 **Starting a new fanfiction while my other one gathers up some dust? That's meeeee. This was just a random idea, and I've only written one other chapter, so don't expect this one to be updated too often.**

 **Ulquiorra is a tough cookie to write. Also had to keep him from slaughtering all of Korra's enemies in a punch, so gotta restrict those powers somehow.**

 **Want sneak peaks and random updates about my life? Check out my Tumblr, _the-simplest-writer._**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome!**

 **The Simplest Writer**

 **Fun Fact: _Bleach_ was probably the first fandom I ever joined, being the very first anime I watched.**


	2. Chapter 2

As Ulquiorra strolled out of the thawed forest, he was greeted by fire, whips of water, and spikes of ice. He dodged out of the way with Sonido, not taking chances with his weakened Hierro, vanishing from human sight. As he reappeared, a whip of water sped towards his new location.

"Wait!" The girl shouted behind him. The whip halted just before it made contact with him (not that he wasn't ready to dodge again). She ran to his side and shielded the Hollow, putting one hand up to halt the attacks from her companions.

"Korra!" A teenage boy shouted. When Ulquiorra looked over the Avatar's shoulder, Kurosaki Ichigo flashed before him. The Hollow blinked and the image faded. Standing before him was a boy with had amber eyes and sharp features. A red scarf wrapped around his neck over his gray outfit. His fist was still stuck out, ready to attack. "We heard you scream in there! Who's this creep?" He narrowed his eyes at Ulquiorra.

"Mako, calm down." Korra motioned back at the Hollow. "This is Ulquiorra, he's a spirit who travelled through the spirit portal. I screamed because I didn't see him. He's asked for my help."

"Korra, step away from him." The man behind Mako spoke. Water suddenly surrounded Ulquiorra, created from the snow below him, trapping the Arrancar within a circle of moving liquid. He continued to stand in the center relaxed, hands in his pockets, observing.

"What, why? Uncle Unalaq-"

"Open your senses, Korra! This man is a dark spirit as well." The water swirled upwards, but not in an aggressive way. Peacefully floating around him, the stream of water started to glow golden.

A shocking pain in his chest made Ulquiorra look down. His filled Hollow hole glowed the same shade. Although curious as to what the human was trying to do to him, Ulquiorra didn't wait to see the end result. Too many things had already happened to his powers already.

The Hollow raised his hand and easily swatted through the water that hovered around him, breaking its flow. The liquid immediately dropped to the ground, useless. At the Hollow's physical objection, a large icy spike attempted to impale him. Ulquiorra's image blurred as he dodged and reappeared behind the Avatar's uncle, grabbing the man's shoulder tightly. The human shouted in pain. He would have impaled the human with his hand after that attack but killing one that had a familial relationship with the girl would likely impede his quest to learn more about the heart. "Cease your useless attacks, trash."

"Ulquiorra, wait." Korra stood in a bending stance, ready to attack. Yet, Ulquiorra could see the hesitation in her eyes.

"It is true that I am, in a sense, a dark spirit. However, I will not attack those who do not stand in my way of learning about the human heart." The Hollow released his hold on the man's shoulder and two practically identical humans came to his aid. Ulquiorra closed his eyes and returned his hand to his pocket. "I will admit that it is impressive that trash like yourself can sense the affinity of my soul."

Unalaq growled back, gripping his likely bruised shoulder. "If you wish to learn about emotions, then why would you reject purification and return as a light spirit?"

Although the Hollow was physically shorter than the man, Ulquiorra managed to look down at him. "I am content with the current state of my spirit and I am unsure how your purification would have affected my being." He refused to give in to the urge to rub his affected Hollow hole. Ulquiorra turned to face Korra. "Is it not the duty of the Avatar to help spirits?"

The girl looked back and forth between himself and her uncle. She finally turned her the human. "Uncle, please. This is my first task as the bridge between the spiritual and material world. I understand that restoring the balance is the priority, but Ulquiorra specifically asked for me. How could I turn him away?"

"…Very well." Unalaq crossed his arms. "But this spirit is your responsibility. Let us hurry and return to the Tribe."

As the man and the two other humans (most likely his children) moved away from him, another moved in front of him. Eyes the color of emeralds stared into his own. A hand reached out for a handshake. "Hi! Name's Bolin, and over there is my brother, Mako. And this is Pabu!" A small mammal stuck its head out from underneath the teen's thick jacket. When it caught sight of him, the animal let out a squeak and ducked back into the clothes. "It's nice to meet you, mister spirit!"

Ulquiorra simply stared at the open hand, not making any move to take it. Looking at the boy's large smile made his lips twitch downward. _Irritating_.

A few seconds passed before Bolin was shoved aside by his brother. Mako attempted to intimidate him with his height and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "So how come you don't look like any dark spirit we've encountered so far? Aren't you supposed to be all glowy and purple?"

Ulquiorra turned to walk towards where Korra was getting up upon a large animal's back. It looked like a crossbreed between a dog and a polar bear. He spoke as he left the two boys' presence. "As I said, I am, in a sense, a dark spirit, different from the ones you have encountered." He wondered what was considered to be a dark spirit in this world. Did they eat souls like Hollows did?

Korra's ride animal swung its head around and growled at his approach. Korra looked up from the reigns of her ride. "Easy, Naga, he's a friend." She patted the side of the beast. "Hey, Ulquiorra, what's up?"

"When will you begin teaching me about the heart?" It was unlike Ulquiorra to become impatient but hanging around such annoying humans was influencing him.

The girl rubbed the back of her head. "Well, it's not exactly a one-day thing, you know? Oh!" Her eyes brightened at the thought of an idea. "Why don't you try making friends when we get back to the Southern Water Tribe? That's definitely a first step in learning about emotions."

Ulquiorra stared at her blankly. _Friends?_ He had never encountered such a concept. The closest thing he had to 'friends' were the Espada. The Hollow's thoughts turned to a certain blue-haired Arrancar… a certain _number_ of Espada.

Even so, the Espada were far from the Avatar's definition of friends. The only one that was tolerable was Tier Harribel, but even she was kept at a distance. The Hollow had to admit that he had no idea on how to make friends.

His attention was turned away from his thoughts as Mako climbed up to sit behind Korra on top of the saddle. Ulquiorra saw that the two twins sat upon a white-furred camel with Bolin sitting uncomfortably close to the animal's rear end. Unalaq sat upon his own camel.

"If you need a ride, I'm sure my uncle can-" Unalaq had already started to move away from the group, and his children followed closely behind. "Oh… well, I'm sure all three of us can fit…"

The Hollow held up a hand, declining the Avatar's offer. "It is fine. I will travel by myself."

"Are you sure? It's pretty far from here." Even Mako looked skeptical at the spirit's rejection.

"Point me in the direction of the tribe and I will be able to get there on my own."

"It's that way." She pointed in the direction that her relatives had gone it. "Pretty much a straight shot other than a couple of detours around some steep snow mounds."

Ulquiorra nodded and started walking in that direction. "I will meet with you there." And then, he vanished. If the Hollow had remained there, he would've seen the astonished faces of the two humans as he sped away, kicking up loose snow.

Stopping a bit away from where he started, Ulquiorra stood on top of a tall hill of snow and ice. He vanished again with the use of Sonido. Constantly disappearing and reappearing, Ulquiorra made his way through the icy, white terrain. It was almost peaceful, reminding him of the endless grassy plains of this world's spirit world. Although when he stopped, the Hollow would sometimes spot signs of life. A bird in the sky, a pack of striped seals lying near a pool of icy water, and some four-flippered penguins standing in groups. It was interesting to see the animal variants of this world as most Hollow forms took after some of his living world's animals. Eventually, he arrived on a cliff's edge that overlooked a town below. This must have been the Southern Water Tribe.

Beneath his white hakama, his legs were shaking with exhaustion. Or would have been if he did not force them to be still. He scoffed at his own weakness. Ulquiorra could barely remember such a time when he was so pitiful as his time as a Vasto Lorde and Arrancar outweighed his days as a normal Hollow. He held out his left hand, palm facing upward, and drew his sword in his right. His first slash across his palm left no mark, sparking flying as his Hierro made contact with his Zanpakuto. The second swipe he pressed harder, this time cutting into his Hierro, but not making contact with his skin. The third left a deep red gash on his hand. Red droplets dripped down into the snow, staining it. He sheathed his sword and wiped away the blood. The cut had already healed. It was good to see that his instant regeneration still worked adequately.

He stood there alone on top of the cliff for a while, watching the humans who were out late at night go about their lives. Some tiredly went from their homes out to their small fishing boats and others paroled the streets in case of crime. More and more people came out of their homes as the sun began to peak over the horizon. Children ran along the streets, some bending the snow around them for fun. It was interesting to see humans who had developed this special power and how they incorporated it into their daily lives. He could see militaristic metal boats cleave their way towards the town's ports.

"Ulquiorra, you made it!" The Hollow turned around to see the group approach on their animals. They all had varying degrees of astonishment expressed on their faces, amazed that he had arrived faster than them. Korra had Naga stop next to him as she looked out towards her home. At first, the girl looked relieved that she had finally made it home until she looked out into the bay. She got off of the animals back and stood next to Ulquiorra. She finally identified the long gray spots in the bay. "What are all your northern troops doing here?" she asked her uncle.

"Opening the spirit portal was only the first step in getting the Southern Water Tribe back on its righteous path. There's more difficult work to be done before our two tribes are truly united." Unalaq tugged at the reigns of his camel to have it start moving down towards the icy city. "Come, we must greet them."

Together they all arrived in the center of the city, where a large structure white tower stood. It almost reminded him of Las Noches. Already, Northern troops flooded the streets, pushing their way through the crowds of Southern citizens. The group began to split, Bolin slid off of the camel's back and ran to its side. The boy made a fist and punched the air in the direction of the ground. Stone steps formed from below the snow and allowed the twins to easily step down. Bolin was buried under their luggage as they strolled into the palace. Mako spoke briefly with his brother before walking down a different street and out of sight. As Ulquiorra had nowhere else to go, he followed Korra who, in turn, followed Unalaq. Eventually, they all made it to a balcony above, watching as water benders on the warships create large ice walls from the sea to block in ships.

It was obvious to Ulquiorra that this was a militaristic takeover. As it seemed that the Southern Water Tribe had no such organized army, the North easily strolled in and established themselves. It was quick, clean, and easy. Lord Aizen would have easily done the same.

His attention was brought back to the other two's conversation. The Hollow stood behind them, standing by the doorway. He was quiet enough that the humans almost forgot he was there.

"There is another portal in the North. Once you open it, spirits and man will be able to move freely between the North and the South in a matter of seconds."

"But the Solstice is over. How am I going to open it?"

"The spiritual energy is much stronger in the North. And now that you've opened the southern portal, your energy is stronger as well."

Ulquiorra reflected on that. His Pesquisa could detect the reishi in the air traced back to the spirit portal. The particles clung onto him, being absorbed into his body. That was most likely what was powering him right now. If the spirit portal had remained closed while he was in the human world, it was most likely that he would have much less, if any, power. If what Unalaq said was true, opening the northern portal would restore most of his power.

It seemed that their conversation was done as Korra turned to him. "Come on, Ulquiorra. I need to talk to my parents."

Together they walked out of the palace. Korra climbed up onto her animal and once again asked him if he wanted a ride, which Ulquiorra declined once more. As they walked down the street, many humans, Northern troops and Southern citizens, turned to stare at the pair, more specifically, the Hollow himself. He definitely stood out from the crowd, his pale skin contrasting against the tan of the humans.

Korra was becoming more and more nervous from the staring as she looked left and right to see the citizens stop whatever they were doing to look at the strange-looking man walking beside the Avatar. Ulquiorra didn't care. " _So_ …" Korra started. "What's that vanishing trick that you do? Is it teleporting?"

"No. It is a speed technique called "Sonido". I move at speeds that your human eye cannot comprehend."

"Wow, that's pretty cool! Do you have any other cool abilities?"

The Hollow considered what to reveal. "I have other energy manipulating abilities that I am able to use as attacks." He wouldn't bother getting into the specifics of his Cero or Bala.

Eventually, the two reached a large igloo on the edge of the city, passing time by Korra asking him a question and Ulquiorra answering with one- or two-worded sentences. Other citizens were entering into the house as well. Korra directed her pet towards a building off to the side. The two of them were the last to enter.

"Korra, you're back!" A woman stood up and hugged the Avatar, who readily returned the gesture.

"Hey, mom."

The avatar's mother released her hug but kept her daughter's hands in hers. "We saw the Southern Lights last night. I'm so proud of you, dear."

A man stood up from where he was sitting. He was tall and bulky, built with strong muscles. He reminded Ulquiorra of Yammy. "And who's this you've brought?"

His comment brought the audience's attention onto the Arrancar, many leaning back in fear or gasping in fright at his odd appearance.

Korra narrowed her eyes at the man. "Dad, this is Ulquiorra. He's a spirit who's asked for my help."

Her father leaned back in surprise. "I see." He turned to face the Hollow and gave him a short bow. "Welcome to my home, Ulquiorra. I am Chief Tonraq, and this is my wife, Senna."

Ulquiorra nodded in greeting.

Suddenly, a tall, thin man appeared before him, carrying a plate of green cookies in one hand. He was dressed in an expensive-looking outfit. The man grabbed Ulquiorra's hand with his free one before the Hollow could move away. "Hey, how's it going, nice to meet ya! Name's Varrick, head of Varrick Global Industries. It really is amazing how I'm meeting you, Youquia, man to spirit! Zhu Li, make sure to note this down in the books."

"Release my hand, trash." He was a second away from crushing all the bones in this man's hand.

At his cold tone, Varrick quickly dropped the hand like it was a burning coal and backed away towards the table with snacks. After that greeting, the rest of the tribe sat down (except for Varrick and his assistant). Ulquiorra stood away from the main group, leaning against the door frame. He kept one ear open to their conversation about rebellion, but he didn't actually care for it. The discussion was overrun by the eccentric man, smashing plates and loudly complaining about his sales. Korra attempted to interject, but Varrick twisted it around to encourage the people to join him in his insurgency.

Ulquiorra softly scoffed and the Avatar caught his motion. She placed her hands on her hips and faced him. "Is there something you want to say, Ulquiorra?"

The Hollow's eyes drifted towards her, yellowish-green cat-like eyes made contact with her cyan ones. He didn't move from his relaxed position at the door frame. "It is obvious that Unalaq is doing a militaristic takeover of the Southern Water Tribe, wanting to indoctrinate it to his kingdom and erase the South's established culture. Without an organized army like his own, any attempt at some disorderly rebellion will simply get all involved killed or executed." His cold, calculated response froze the room. "It is best to allow the Avatar to first speak to Unalaq, allowing you all to gather more forces. However, that is why he has blocked your ships and has his troops patrolling the streets. Instilling fear prevents such uprisings."

"He brought those soldiers to protect the spirit portal!" Korra shouted.

"Did you ever think that he lied to you?" Her father spoke up.

"What, like how you lied to me!?"

Tonraq flinched as if he was physically struck. He looked down to the floor ashamed before he let out a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry, Korra. But maybe you could speak with your uncle? Tell him how frustrated we are with his "protection". He'll listen to what the Avatar has to say."

"Fine." Korra stormed towards the door and opened it. "Let's go, Ulquiorra." The Hollow stood up and walked out in front of her. Behind him, the Hollow heard the girl slam the door shut with great force. "How could you take their side?"

Ulquiorra blinked. "Did you not wish to resolve the conflict?"

"Why don't any of you see that the unification of the two tribes is a good thing? I'm trying to help them."

"If true unification was your uncle's plan, he would have done so slowly and peacefully, not with military force."

"How many times do I have to say it? He brought them to protect the spirit portal!"

"Is it not so that your people worship and fear the spirits' wraith? Who would attack the portal to the spirit world directly?"

The girl tugged at her hair in frustration. "I don't- I don't know, okay?!" A sudden nudge to her shoulder brought her attention to Naga, who had wandered over to them. Korra reached up and petted the animal, visibly becoming more relaxed. "Look, I'll speak to Unalaq and tell him how the tribe feels. Maybe he'll ease up a little, but I truly doubt that ruling over the Southern Water Tribe is his goal. He'll bring the tribes together and give my dad back the status of Chieftain." She climbed up onto the saddle.

The two walked back to the palace in silence, but Ulquiorra kept a close eye on his surroundings. He could see the two factions growing more and more aggressive, tension building. The Southern citizens who could not defend themselves against the Northern troops cowered and quickly moved from destination to destination, while those who could fight stared in anger at their invaders. In a situation like this, the Avatar's priority had shifted from teaching him about the human heart to taking care of her people. Ulquiorra simply had to rectify that.

When they arrived at the palace, Korra continued to walk forward towards Unalaq while Ulquiorra hung back by the entrance. If he had a heart, it would've stopped beating at that very moment. Seeing the man lounging on the throne reminded him strikingly of Lord Aizen.

The way that the Northern chief manipulated Korra in front of him was also very similar to his former master as he caught the end of their conversation.

"We? No, Korra. This is a war only the Avatar can prevent." Unalaq stood up and approached Korra.

"I'm usually the one starting fights. I don't know how to stop them from happening."

"As the Avatar, you must remain neutral in this conflict. You will naturally want to favor your people but showing favoritism will not help our tribes find unity." Ulquiorra stepped closer, but still far enough that the two continued their chat. Preventing the girl from taking sides would prevent her from acting against this man, forcing her to find a different way to oppose her uncle, thus delaying his lessons about the heart. He would have to wait after their talk was over to inform her of his observations.

"Maybe Tenzin was right. Maybe I'm not ready to be the Avatar."

"Tenzin lacked faith in you, but I have no doubt you will become the most admired Avatar the world has ever known." The man stepped forward and placed a hand on his niece's shoulder, giving a soft smile.

"Thank you, uncle." She turned to leave. As Korra turned around, the smile vanished. The man's eyes found his own and narrowed even further. Ulquiorra steadily held the man's gaze until Korra passed by his side, finally making him turn to follow her out.

Before he could get a word out, the two heard shouting around the corner. Korra bended the air around her to lift her onto Naga and the two bolted towards the commotion. With the aid of Sonido, Ulquiorra was not far behind. He took in the scene in front of him, the girl standing in between two groups who were ready to unleash their water against each other. Korra was failing to de-escalate the situation, even being pelted by a snowball from a little girl.

This was a waste of time. Ulquiorra release a burst of reiatsu, making the men around him fall to their knees. Even Korra was pressed down towards Naga's back. "Enough." His one word commanded the attention from those around him. Even with his casual stance, hands still in his pockets, the humans knew that he was the source of that power. "Leave." The men got the message as they glance towards him and their opponents before scurrying off in different directions.

"Korra-" Before the Hollow could get another word out, the girl was already rounding the corner of a building, away from him. He considered pursuing her, making her listen to his logic, but ultimately decided against it. Forcing interactions was a guaranteed way at getting her annoyed at him and denying his request to teach him. He made the decision that the most logical thing for him to do now was to go back to Korra's home, where she would return to after she cooled off.

Using Sonido, he vanished and reappeared until he reached the house. He did not detect anyone in the large igloo from before but rather in one of the small tents by the side. He brushed aside the blue cloth to reveal Senna sitting on the couch.

She looked up to see who had come in. "Oh, Ulquiorra. Is Korra with you?"

"No, Korra parted from me after I assisted her breaking up a conflict between Northern troops and the Southern men. I believe she is upset with me."

Her eyebrows furrowed together and looked back down to the ground. "I see…" She patted the seat next to her. "Please, come sit down."

Ulquiorra obeyed her request, sitting down with grace. He turned to observe the woman. The Hollow identified tears in her blue eyes and her hands wrung each other. "Have I said something to make you upset?"

"No, no, it isn't you. I'm just…" A tear slid down her cheek before she quickly wiped it away. "I'm worried about Korra. She's been so angry lately, especially at her father. She's been pushing him away ever since the feast, and now she won't accept help when she needs it."

Ulquiorra stared blankly at her. The Hollow had not learned how to comfort. Usually, he was the one to make them cry in the first place. His mind flashed back to Kurosaki Ichigo and the woman shedding tears behind him. Ulquiorra had watched how Kurosaki stood tall, protecting her, reassuring her that it was going to be okay and that he would protect her. However, that was a different situation. That was reassurance from the despair he himself had created. This was something about familial bonds. He would speak the truth then.

"It is her arrogance that causes her to push away her father and others. She believes that she must do everything by herself if she is to become a successful Avatar."

"Oh, Korra." Senna was still crying.

"Cease your crying, woman." His harsh words seemed to shock her out of her tears. He closed his eyes in nonchalance. "I do not understand why you shed tears for your daughter's faults. Her arrogance will be assuaged, I will see to it."

"Ulquiorra…" Her eyes showed incredulity but soon softened. The mother let out a small huff and her mouth quirked upwards. "I see why you need help."

His flashed a brief frown. He had not told her why he had asked for Korra's assistance.

"Let me tell you some stories then."

-WH-

When Korra finally returned from the disastrous dinner, she found her mother sitting on the couch with Ulquiorra. The spirit still had the same blank expression on his face like he always did, but her mother was chuckling.

"You should've seen how surprised we were when Korra came back with Naga. Not many young girls befriend polar bear-dogs."

"Mom?" Was she really telling stories about her childhood?

"Korra, you're back." Her mom stopped in the middle of her tale.

The Avatar crossed her arms. "Did Dad send you to talk to me?"

"Your father doesn't know I'm here." Her mom's eyes flickered Ulquiorra before looking back. "Korra, what's going on between you two? Your dad won't tell me anything about it." She stood up and walked towards Korra. "Honey, it breaks my heart to see our family being torn apart like this."

Korra couldn't hold it any longer. "You want to know what's been going on? I found out Dad's been lying to me my whole life. Unalaq told me everything; how Dad and Tenzin kept me trapped down here while I trained, how Dad got banished from the North."

Her mom couldn't even look at Korra in the eye. "So, the truth is out."

"You knew, and you never said anything."

"We were trying to keep our family together, to give you a normal childhood."

"I never wanted a normal childhood. All I ever wanted to be was the Avatar, but everyone keeps holding me back, even my own parents! Unalaq's the only one who believes in me."

"Foolish." Ulquiorra finally stood up.

"And you, I didn't even ask for your help back there. I could've handled it!" She turned to the spirit. The fact that he was standing there so calmly made her angrier.

"Your attempt clearly did not work, and you stood between the two, most likely getting caught in the crossfire."

"Then what am I supposed to do when the North and South are ready to wage war against each other?" Korra directed her question towards the two others.

"The problems between the North and the South started long before you were born." Her mother interjected. "This situation might be out of your control. Varrick's been plotting a rebellion against Unalaq. He asked your father to join, and-"

"Dad is part of a rebellion?"

"I don't know, but I don't want you to be getting caught in the middle of it."

"It's too late, Mom. I already in the middle of it." Korra dashed out of the tent, jumping onto Naga. The young Avatar could hear her mother call out, but she was already pushing Naga to run faster towards the palace.

A flash of white brought her attention off of the road before her. Ulquiorra was casually running beside her. She growled and whipped the reigns. "I don't need your help, Ulquiorra!"

He easily kept up with her. "Your mother instructed me to keep you safe. I would also prefer no injury happens to you so that you may adequately teach me."

"I thought you were on their side."

"I do not hold any opinion about this conflict. It is in my best interest to side with you."

At the speed the two were going at, they arrived at the palace in no time. Korra called out for her uncle but spotted the Northern guards unconscious and tied to a pillar. "Oh no."

Together they headed further in. Ulquiorra held out an arm preventing her from turning into another hallway. "I sense five invaders, one holding your uncle." She peeked around the corner. Ulquiorra was right.

But the masked man holding her unconscious uncle over his shoulder… " _Dad?_ " She stepped out of hiding, bringing the invaders' attention to her. "Dad, don't do this."

One of the others spoke up. "Turn around, Avatar, and pretend you didn't see anything."

"No. Leave Unalaq and go. I'll tell him I tried to stop you, but you escaped. We can still avoid a war," she pleaded.

"No, we can't."

The man who had spoken started a waterbending motion, but suddenly a shape of white appeared before him. His accomplices backed away in surprise. Ulquiorra had grabbed the man's arm before any water could rise. A sharp crack rang out in the silence of the hall and the man screamed in pain. The spirit had just broken the man's arm and still had his other hand in his pocket.

"How pitiful." Ulquiorra's voice was colder than the ice that surrounded them. "I should dispose of you trash." His right hand rose out of his pocket towards the ever-present sword by his waist.

"Ulquiorra, stop!" Korra's desperate shout stopped his hand. _He was going to_ kill _them._

His moment of hesitation opened an opportunity for the kidnappers. One of them formed a water whip, slapping at Ulquiorra's arm, making him loosen his grip on the man before him. The man with a broken arm curled into a ball on the ground, clutching his injury. Another one created an ice wall separating them from the Avatar and her accomplice and allowed them to run by.

She took this brief moment to speak to the spirit. "Ulquiorra, you can't just kill them! They're still my people!" she shouted angrily.

He flicked at the ice wall, shattering it completely. They hopped out. He spoke as they gave chase. "I thought you wished to stop them."

"That doesn't mean kill! Or breaking their bones." She created ice to slide down the railing. "Just knock them out _without_ serious injury."

She landed in front of the group, and Ulquiorra blurred to her side. He nodded to her. "Very well. I will deal with them while you save your uncle."

Korra hesitated for a moment. Could she trust Ulquiorra to listen to her? Her mind flashed back to when Unalaq revealed that Ulquiorra was a dark spirit.

Finally, she nodded back and dashed off after her father, bending the ice wall that was created in front of her back into water. Korra could already hear the grunts as the remaining men were dealt with by her spirit companion. She ran as fast as she could to catch up before they could escape. She found her father dashing off on a snowmobile with her uncle draped over the seat behind him. Korra bended a curving ramp of ice to make them flip over. As she ran over to their side, she heard the arrival of Ulquiorra behind her as the static noise of his speed technique was heard.

The Avatar grabbed the mask of the downed kidnapper in front of her. "Why did you do this… Dad?" As she pulled it off, it was revealed that the bulky man wasn't her father, but instead someone else entirely. "You're not my Dad. Where is he?"

"He wouldn't help us. He's a traitor, just like you!" The man responded. Ulquiorra walked up and chopped the man's neck, making him go unconscious immediately.

Unalaq awoke behind them. After a while, her uncle got dressed and had Northern guards come and take away the kidnappers. Most of them had dark bruises across their comatose bodies, but no other had broken bones other than the one man. Korra had told Unalaq about the rebellion created by Varrick when he had joined the meeting at her parents' house.

"Thank you both for saving my life." He nodded to Korra and even gave a smaller one to Ulquiorra.

"I'm just glad we got here in time."

"Find Varrick," Unalaq commanded. "I want him to freeze in prison with the rest of these traitors."

"Wait, you can't just lock them away, that will only make the South angrier."

"You want them to go free?"

"No, but let them stand trial for what they did. Every Water Tribe citizen deserves that right."

Her uncle contemplated for a moment, eyebrows furrowing. He finally relented. "Very well. I will respect the Avatar's wishes in this matter."

She shot him a smile. "Thank you, uncle."

By the time they returned to her home, the sun was already rising. Korra burst through the door, eyes landing on her parents, unharmed. "You're okay."

"Of course," her mother responded. "We heard what happened, are you okay?"

Korra's eyes met her father's, mind going back when Ulquiorra ruthlessly broke one of the kidnapper's arms and going for his blade. The Northern soldiers carrying the rebels away. Tears ran down her cheeks as she hugged her father tightly. "I'm so glad you weren't there. I don't know what I would've done."

She felt her father's strong arms wrap around her. "I had no idea how far Varrick was willing to go. My brother and I have our differences, but I would never attack him."

"I'm sorry for thinking you had anything to do with the rebels, and for all the pain I've caused you and mom."

"I'm the one who should apologize. After I saw the Southern Lights return, I was so proud of you. I never should have held you back."

Her mother gave her a tender smile. "When your father and I found each other, all we wanted was to live a simple life and raise a family. But then we discovered you were the Avatar, and simple was over. We knew one day the world would need you, you wouldn't need us anymore."

Korra looked at her parents, finding only bittersweet happiness on their faces. "Mom, Dad, of course I still need you." The three came together in a hug.

At the door frame, Ulquiorra watched all of this with interest. Their tears were not from despair, but from something else entirely. Suddenly, he heard multiple pairs of boots crunching against the snow and saw Unalaq and a squad of troops marching up to the house.

Ulquiorra blocked them from entering, but Korra and her family could see Unalaq behind his small frame. "Why are you here?"

Unalaq looked down at the spirit and to the family behind him as soldiers lined up behind him. "Tonraq, Senna, you are under arrest and will stand trial for conspiring to assassinate me."

* * *

 **Wow I am on a roll. Don't get use to this lol, using this fic to procrastinate on other stuff, like school and my other fanfic. I just have a lot of ideas for this story since I've been rewatching LoK.**

 **Want sneak peaks and random updates about my life? Check out my Tumblr, _the-simplest-writer._**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome!**

 **The Simplest Writer**

 **Fun Fact: Why did I write this story and post it in the first place? Was trying to look for actually good, recently updated Ulquiorra and/or Bleach/LoK crossover fics, but found it lacking. So decided to mishmash my wants and it turned into this (not that I have the right to judge what's a good fic) ¯\\_(** **ツ** **)_/¯**


	3. Chapter 3

Ulquiorra watched the proceedings of the trial with curiosity. It was interesting how the judge had backed Korra into a corner with his questions, effectively finding evidence to judge her parents' guilty of treason. Other than Bolin's occasional interjections, the trial went smoothly. He closed his eyes. It was most likely that Korra's mother would be spared and the rest of the men would be sentenced to death. It was an unsatisfactory conclusion, one that would delay his goal once more.

"My parents are innocent!" Korra finally shouted.

"I've heard all I need to." The judge stated. "I'll return shortly with my decision."

How pitiful that the man couldn't even hide that this trial was rigged from the start. Perhaps being under Lord Aizen's rule for so long had made him cynical towards deception. Before the old man could leave, Ulquiorra spoke, his emotionless voice ringing out in the hall. "Are you not going to question me?" His cat-like eyes were still closed.

The judge looked shocked at his question. "And- and why would I do that?" He was nervous. Good.

When Ulquiorra opened his eyes, he pinned the judge with an icy stare. "I was, after all, present during the meeting." He walked forward towards the center of the hall, shoes scuffing loudly against the ice.

Unalaq spoke from the sidelines. "What will you say that has not already been told by Avatar Korra? All evidence has already been presented." The Hollow could hear the anger carefully hidden in his voice. Not carefully enough.

"It is not what I will say that will change your judgment." His right hand crept closer to his eye. "But what I will show you." With a sickening squelching sound, his fingers curled around his eyeball.

Everyone in the room flinched back. The judge in front of him looked ready to have a heart attack. Even Korra took a few steps back. "U-Ulquiorra…"

"What the Hell?" The Hollow heard Mako whisper.

With a quick tug, he pulled the eye right out of its socket. One of the guards to the side fainted right then and there. Ulquiorra held the orb between his fingers. "Now, watch." And squeezed.

Instead of turning the eye turning into goo, it shattered like glass into tiny glowing fragments. They floated across the room, connecting with each and every person, witnessing the events that had happened during the meeting. How Varrick had convinced the men to join him in rebellion and how Korra's father spoke to his daughter, telling her to speak with her uncle to find a solution between the warring sides.

The judge finally opened his eyes, coming out of the vision. "I-I see… I will return momentarily." He shakily stood and left.

Korra took a step towards him with an arm reached out to touch him. "Ulquiorra, your eye."

The Hollow turn his head towards her, revealing his empty eye socket to the audience, who could not see it before as he was faced the judge. Most flinched once more seeing what had caused such a sickening noise, and Ulquiorra was sure it was Bolin who was screaming.

"Cease your worry, girl." Ulquiorra shut his right eye, hiding its regenerating form. When he opened it again, he had two yellowish-green eyes staring back at her.

Korra stared in amazement. "How?"

He thought about revealing his powers to her. It would bring no harm to tell her of his healing ability. "My greatest power is my high-speed regeneration. With it, I can regenerate any part of my body except my brain and other internal organs." No one else seemed to notice that Unalaq was just returning to the room at the same time as the judge returned to his desk.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

The judge finally took his seat and cleared his throat, bring the room's attention back to him. "Senna and Tonraq, please step forward." The two glanced at each other before moving forward. "I have found you both innocent. You two are free to go." A guard unlocked their shackles. Korra's parents hugged each other tightly before moving towards Korra to give her a comforting hug as well.

The judge continued, turning back to the rest of the men. "On the charge of treason, you are all found guilty. The punishment for this crime is death." The crowd started to murmur. The other men were the best fighters of the Southern Water Tribe, with the man who Korra had mistaken as her father being their leader, Arrluk. Korra and her family gasped.

Tonraq spoke as the elder moved to leave. "You can't do this!" he shouted. Those were his best men who being sentenced to death for a stupid decision.

Korra moved forwards. "You take their lives, and I'll take yours."

Her uncle stepped forward holding out his hand. "Please, you both, calm down. I'll talk to him." He positioned himself in front of the judge and spoke loudly and clearly. "I know I promised to respect whatever decision you made, but I must ask you to reconsider. Please, show these men mercy."

The old man formed a thoughtful expression for a moment. It was gone too quickly. A _nother falsity_ , Ulquiorra identified. "Very well, I'll change their punishment." The judge addressed the rebel men. "Your lives will be spared, but you will live them out in prison." They all let out a breath of relief.

Korra thanked her uncle. But he replied, "No thanks needed." Yet, the man's eyes were not on Korra, but instead on Ulquiorra. The Hollow matched the human's stare with his own eerie eyes.

-WH-

When the four of them finally reached the house, Senna turned her husband and started crying heavily on his chest. "I thought I was going to lose you."

He put his arms on her back, rubbing it but said nothing.

Korra angrily stormed to the center of the room and turned around to face the occupants. "We have to bust them out right now."

Tonraq looked up at his daughter. "Korra, no. Saving them would start a war. If fighting were to break out, the North would crush the South. They'll be alright, they aren't our strongest men for nothing. I don't like it any more than you do, but just promise me you won't do anything rash."

"Fine. I promise," she sighed and faced the ground. But Ulquiorra saw a shift in her expression. Korra turned around and headed towards the door. "I forgot I needed to ask Mako something. I'll be back soon." She motioned towards Ulquiorra. "C'mon, Ulquiorra."

The Hollow followed her out. As Korra sat upon Naga, she asked, "Can you find the judge?"

He blinked before using his Pesquisa to locate the man. "He's moving. Heading towards that mountain at a fast pace." He pointed at one near the coast.

"Then no time to waste. Let's go! Hyah!" She whipped at the reigns, making Naga break out into a sprint. Ulquiorra followed close behind.

Before they knew it, the two had caught up to a light green vehicle on the road. It seemed that the man driving spotted Korra close behind because the automobile accelerated with a burst of speed. Korra pushed her polar bear-dog to run faster.

The judge glanced behind him, sure that the animal couldn't catch up to the vehicle, but when he looked back in front, the man let out a shout of surprise. Ulquiorra stood before him, right in the way of the Satomobile. The elder tried twisting the wheel, trying not to run him over.

Instead of moving, Ulquiorra held out a hand and grabbed the front of the automobile. The front crunched into itself while the Hollow stood unmoved like a boulder. The vehicle would be going nowhere.

Naga roared and ripped off the door with a swipe of her paw. Ulquiorra was there to reach in and easily tug the old man out, throwing him against the side of the vehicle. The judge cowered away slightly before hardening his expression. "What do you want?"

"It's not about what I want," Korra responded. "It's what Naga wants." Her pet started growling, revealing her sharp teeth and stepping towards him.

He raised an arm in defense. "I-I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I was just following Unalaq's orders."

The girl's eyes widened in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"I've said too much."

This was going too slowly for Ulquiorra's taste. He grabbed the man's coat collar and pressed him further against the car. His other hand stabbed forward, cleanly going straight through the automobile's metal exterior right next to the man's chest. The quick killing motion made the man scream in fright. Ulquiorra withdrew his hand, showing it to be unblemished. There was now a clean hole that one could see the Satomobile's innards. The Hollow placed his pale hand against the man's sternum, still in the stabbing position. "Do not ask questions. Speak only of Unalaq's plans. What you hold in your hand is the rope to the guillotine above your own neck. Understand, human, that this is not a negotiation, it's an order."

The man trembled even harder, pupils dilated into pinpricks. Even Korra took a step back with his speech. "I-I've worked for Unalaq for years!" he continued, this time in a higher pitch. "He said he needed everyone to think the trial was fair."

"Then why did he change the other men's sentences? And why did he want to keep Ulquiorra quiet?" Korra asked.

"He's trying to keep you on his side. And he was trying to keep your father out of the way, just like when he got your father banished. B-but this man ruined his plan by providing evidence of her parents' innocence!"

"Wait, what do you mean "got my father banished"?" she asked in confusion.

The man shivered. Ulquiorra pressed harder into the judge's chest, making him squeak. "Speak quickly, human."

-WH-

The girl directed Ulquiorra to board a fancy white ship. When he stepped into the control room, a glove sparking with electricity almost made contact with his face. He grabbed the person's wrist, stopping the attack in its tracks. The person who attacked him was a girl, around the same age as Korra, with thick, black hair and light green eyes. He would have observed her further if she hadn't tried following up her grab with a kick to his face.

"Asami, wait!" A voice called out behind her. Mako stood there next to a large taxidermized mammal.

Ulquiorra let go of the girl's wrist and took a step backward, making her kick fall short. With her knees bent and arms tensed, she was ready to attack once more.

Korra ran up behind him. "What's going on?"

"You guys weren't going to tell me that you knew Mr. Ripped-Out-My-Own-Eye guy here?" Asami relaxed from her stance, but not completely. She turned off the sparking glove and tucked it behind her.

Mako rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, it didn't really come up."

Korra slid by Ulquiorra's side and into the room. "Asami, this is Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra, this is Asami Sato, my friend." Introductions aside, she turned to the two in the room. "Unalaq is a liar and a traitor," she revealed.

"I've been trying to tell you that from the get-go," a muffled voice stated. The bill of the bear opened to reveal a mouth full of sharp teeth and Varrick's face. "Hello, Korra, Ulchachi."

"Trash," the Hollow acknowledged. If there was any person Ulquiorra truly wanted to receive the death sentence, it was the human hiding in the bear suit.

"What happened?" Asami questioned.

Korra balled her fists. "I found out the truth about my dad's banishment." She repeated what the judge had told the two. It had taken another stab through the car to get the entire story out of him. "The whole trial was a setup, he was trying to get my dad out of the way again." The girl shot Ulquiorra a grin, one that made his eyebrow almost twitch upwards in surprise. "Thanks to Ulquiorra, my parents were saved. I can't believe I trusted him." She thought for a moment, before looking back up to the others. "I'm busting the rebels out of jail. Without them, the South will have no defense against the North. I need your help."

Mako hesitated. "If you do this, there's no going back."

"I know. Will you help or not?"

"Of course, I'll help."

"Me too," Asami interjected.

Varrick raised a paw. "Count me in!"

Behind them, the door creaked open. They all tensed, ready to fight against any who would interrupt their plans. Instead, Bolin stood in the doorway, dressed like the twin children Ulquiorra had seen with Unalaq back at the portal. Even his pet had a fur coat fitted to its body.

"I don't even want to know," his brother stated.

Asami propped a hand on her hip. "So, I'm guessing the breakup with Eska didn't go well?"

"No, no, the honesty thing worked out great," he stated sarcastically. "So great that she decided we should get married!"

"I'm pretty sure the _guy_ is supposed to give the girl the betrothal necklace."

"I guess Eska didn't get the memo."

"Look, the only way to deal with crazy women is to lie big and leave fast," Varrick interrupted. "Lucky for you, Varrick's got your back. Now, gather 'round Ping-Ping. Let's talk plan."

-WH-

An explosion rocked the prison situated on the cliffside. A flash of red, and another explosion. Guards ran from place to place, heading towards the break-in. When one of the guards ran by, the ground below him slid open. His surprised yell was cut off as he was electrocuted. Korra, Mako, and Asami jumped out into the prison's hallway, keys jangling from Mako's hand. The young Avatar bended the ground behind them, leaving no trace of their entrance.

"When you sent Ulquiorra as a distraction, I didn't really expect this," Mako stated. A low _boom_ sounded once more from another part of the prison.

"To be honest, me neither." Korra pointed to a couple of doors. "The men should be locked in these cells." When they opened up the first of the doors, no one was in it. "It's empty?" she said in surprise.

"You won't be seeing those men any time soon." A voice sounded. When the three turned back in the hallway, Unalaq stood blocking their way.

"Where are they?"

"On a ship headed to the Northern Tribe. They'll serve out their sentences there."

Korra took a fighting stance. "Bring them back, or I'm taking you out and the rest of your army."

"Remember who you are." Unalaq still stood relaxed. "As the Avatar, you cannot threaten war. You must remain neutral, or our tribes will never find unity."

"You don't want unity, you want power. I should have listened to Ulquiorra from the start. He knew you were in it to take control of the South, and now you want my power. Well, I don't want your help anymore."

Unalaq's mouth twitched downwards in dissatisfaction. "If you start a war, the dark spirits will annihilate the South, and even I will be powerless to stop them, never mind you. Even your pet spirit wouldn't be able to save you."

"I'm done being manipulated by you! You are going to return those men then you and your troops return to the North."

"And why would I do that?"

Korra smirked at him. "Because you still need me to open the northern portal."

"No, I don't," her uncle responded calmly, wiping away her smirk. "You've served your purpose." Suddenly, Unalaq sent a whip of water from his pouch at his side flying towards Korra.

Instead of reaching her, it splashed against a white chest.

"Ulquiorra!" Korra shouted.

Unalaq growled. "In my way again!" He sent more streams of water towards the Hollow, all making contact with him. Yet Ulquiorra did not budge, in fact, he was calmly walking forward, closer to Unalaq, who was becoming more and more desperate.

Finally, a spear of ice shot out, but a white hand slapped it away, shattering it. Ulquiorra glanced at the back of his hand, a drip of blood making its way down his skin. _Interesting, this human has enough will to cut me._ He blurred before reappearing in front of Unalaq, his palm flat as he pushed against the man's chest. The Northern chief went flying back, only stopping when he slammed against the stone wall.

The Hollow turned towards the others. "Come, we must leave."

"If we get to Varrick's boat, we can still save them," Mako added.

Ulquiorra nodded and grabbed the three, pressing them against his body. They all made noises of surprise. A static sound and the four were suddenly gone from the hallway.

When they all reappeared far outside the prison and close to the bay, Ulquiorra immediately let go of the three teens. They collapsed to their knees and hands, looking sick. "Ugh, what the Hell was that?" Mako asked before putting a hand to his mouth, his face tinted green.

"Sonido," the Hollow simply answered. "Get up. We must reach the boat if you wish to save your men."

His statement encouraged them to start moving towards the ship, carefully avoiding Northern troops along the way. When they arrived at the dock, the four hid behind a corner. "The place is swarming with troops and there's no cover between here and the ship. How are we going to get past?" Asami asked.

It was unlikely that the teens would hold up to another Sonido. Ulquiorra looked out into the bay, seeing a few warships parked next to Varrick's. He held up a fist and aimed. " **Bala.** " A red pulse of energy shot from his fist, colliding with the metal hull of one of the Northern ships. It blew a hole in the side and pushed it towards the ship next to it. The ships fell onto one another like dominos, forcing the men aboard panic and disembark by any way possible. "Come." He led the way to the ramp.

Behind him, the three looked at each other before following. "I guess that's what he did back at the prison," Mako murmured to himself.

When they entered the control room, Varrick, who was still dressed in the bear suit, was starting up the ship's engine. Bolin noticed their arrival. "Where are the rebels?"

"On a ship headed North." Korra turned to Varrick. "Think we can catch up to it?"

"Sure, once you get us past our friends from the North." He pointed to the sea in front. There, a line of warships was blocking them from exiting the bay, forming a blockade. There wasn't any room for them to slip past.

Korra thought out loud, "If only we had a plane to get me close to those ships. I could waterbend them out of the way."

"A plane? Well, why didn't you say so?" Varrick almost pushed down on a red button, but Ulquiorra stopped him.

"There is no sense in risking yourself in overcoming the blockade," the Hollow reasoned. "If you were to fly in a plane overhead, the ships would easily shoot you down." He headed out of the room. "No, drive at full speed towards the blockade, I will handle it. Instead, be ready to fly after we pass them, as the ship containing the rebels will be far ahead." As he exited, the group looked at one another before following the spirit's instruction.

Ulquiorra stood at the bow of the ship, feeling it pick up speed as they drove towards the warships. Behind him the deck opened, revealing the propeller plane. Asami, Mako, and Korra ran out of the control room and took their places, Asami sitting in the driver's seat and the two others on each wing.

Closer and closer they got to the warships, guns soon shifted towards their direction. "Uh, Ulquiorra, whatever spirit power you're gonna use, you better use it now!" Korra called out.

The Hollow took his right hand out of his pocket and pointed his index finger towards the sea below the warships. A pinprick of green light appeared at his fingertip, streams of light gathering towards it, making it grow. He held it, waiting for the right moment.

Closer.

Closer.

"Ulquiorra!"

 _Now._ " **Cero**." The small sphere suddenly expanded to an emerald-colored beam, as wide as Ulquiorra was tall. It tinted everything in its path an eerie green. Producing a gust of wind, the three behind him had to shield their faces and clunch onto the plane's frame, which was still locked down to its platform. If it hadn't been attached to the deck, it surely would have been blasted off the boat just from the backlash of his attack. The Cero shot out into the sea, piercing it with tremendous force. Abruptly, the beam exploded outwards. Giant waves rippled out from its expansion, easily shoving away the warships, almost topping those parked closest to the laser. Varrick's ship easily sailed by.

"There!" Mako shouted. He pointed to a spot of gray on the horizon. "That's the ship."

"Let's go!" Korra nodded to Mako and he nodded back. Asami started up the propeller and the engine of the plane purred. The plane started rolling forwards, and the two benders blasted fire behind them, pushing the plane forward. It dipped over the bow of the ship, ducking out of sight before surging upward towards the air. Ulquiorra watched as they flew off towards the warship.

When Varrick's ship finally caught up to the slowing northern boat, Korra, her friends, and the rebels were standing on one of the platforms its side. They all hopped onto the new boat and Varrick steered it away from the warship's side and back towards the South Pole.

Night had fallen when they arrived at a different part of the icy land, unguarded by Northern troops but close enough to the Southern Water Tribe. However, they couldn't approach the land any closer. "I can't thank you enough, Avatar Korra," said the man who had led the men in the raid against Unalaq. "I'm sorry that I called you a traitor before."

"No, it was warranted. Now, that I know the truth I can support you all." Korra nodded to the man. "Arrluk, if you had been brought to the North Pole, my father would've been devastated. You're one of my dad's closest friends and one of the South's best fighters."

He nodded to her. "I'll relay everything you've said to Tonraq." Arrluk pressed a fist to his chest. "I swear it. We'll put Unalaq back in his place."

"We'll support you to the end, Arrluk," one of the men behind him stated, also moving his fist. The rest followed the motion.

"Me too." Korra she repeated the motion as well. "Thank you all so much. My dad will be sure to fight alongside you after hearing how Unalaq betrayed him, and I'll be there fighting with him."

Ulquiorra stepped up from behind her, surprising everyone present. The man with his arm in a sling stepped backward. "You will not."

She turned around in surprise. "But you said that the South would be crushed if they fought against the North. I can help!"

"You are merely one person," Ulquiorra stated. "Even with your aid, the Northern forces would still easily overwhelm the South as you cannot be everywhere at once. Instead, you must gather more allies who have their own forces to support the South."

Arrluk nodded to the spirit, agreeing with him. "By getting the President of the United Republic on our side, we stand a chance. The South can give Unalaq a good fight for a while, but we'll need the United Forces in order to finish the fight."

Korra hesitated before nodding. "All right, I'll get you all the help you need." She held out her arm to Arrluk and he grasped her forearm as she did with his. "Good luck."

The men formed an ice sheet on the ocean, thick enough that it could carry all of them. They drifted back onto the mainland and started their hike back to their home.

The group watched them walk off into the night. Bolin broke the silence. "I really need to thank you, Korra."

"For what? I started a civil war."

"Exactly! Now Eska and I are officially broken up."

Varrick piped up from his position by the window, telescope pressed against his eye. "Oh, looks like we have company! And not the fun kind!"

They looked out into the ocean to see a wave heading towards their location. "What is that?" Mako asked.

Ulquiorra reached out with his Pesquisa. "It seems that it is one of the twins of Unalaq."

Bolin let out a squeak. "What?!" He grabbed the telescope out of Varrick's hands. After looking for a second, he gasped then rubbed his eyes. He looked again. " _That_ would be my darling Eska. Question: would this thing be fast enough to get away from my crazy waterbending ex-girlfriend?"

"Why do you think I built this boat?"

And the boat sped off towards Republic City.

* * *

 **Another chapter? You betcha. I actually managed to outline the whole season out, so goooo me.**

 **I am definitely not being consistent with Ulquiorra's power, but it's hard to have him be his usual self without overpowering the frick out of him. At the same time, I have to make sure he doesn't completely slaughter his enemies as well, so I'll be powering up the Big Bad's of each season to be a bit more durable.**

 **Want sneak peaks and random updates about my life? Check out my Tumblr, _the-simplest-writer._**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome!**

 **The Simplest Writer**

 **Fun Fact: I legit listened to all the sad Bleach OST to get in the mood for writing this chapter, since Ulquiorra is the saddest boy of them all. _Soundscape to Ardor_ is sooooo good. Check it out!**


	4. Chapter 4

The city in front of him was vast, with varying styles of buildings spread across its land. It reminded him of Karakura Town when Yammy and he had traveled to observe Kurosaki. When they got off the boat, a woman dressed in armor greeted them. Two scars went down her cheek and steel-colored eyes glanced to Ulquiorra before going to Korra. The woman crossed her arms. "Welcome home, Avatar. Thanks for starting a war," she said sarcastically.

"I didn't start a war!" Korra argued, before going back on herself. "Well, I did, but it's more complicated than you're making it seem."

"Mhm." The woman turned to him. "I see you've picked up a new stray. Who's this? Your new clown when you need a chuckle?"

Mako's and Korra's eyes flickered to him nervously, but Ulquiorra simply blinked, no emotion expressed on his face. Korra turned back to the woman. "No, this is my friend, Ulquiorra." Her tone was angry. "He's a spirit, not some guy in makeup."

… _Friend?_

The lady bent her back so that she was eye-level with him, observing him closer before straightening back up. "Well, Mr. Spirit, call me Chief Beifong. Don't make a mess in my city and we'll get along just fine." Beifong turned to the other teen. "Mako, I want you back on the beat. There's going to be a Southern Water Tribe peace march tonight and I need you there to make sure things don't get out of hand."

"I'm all yours."

Korra stepped forward. "I'll go too. The people of the South need to see that the Avatar is on their side in the fight against the Northern invaders."

"Great, that should calm them down," Beifong sarcastically commented as she walked away.

Korra growled at her back before turning to Ulquiorra. "Why did you let her say that stuff about you?!"

The Hollow blinked. "Why should I care about what someone assumes about my appearance?" He put his hands in his pockets. "It is a foolish concept to feel offended at what a piece of trash believes. If I truly wished it, I could have easily crushed her where she stood."

The girl looked ready to tell him off for calling Beifong such a title but decided not to. "I guess so… But I hate that people just assume that you're some weirdo just 'cause you look different."

He nodded to her. "Perhaps this is a concept you should adopt."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You should not feel so offended whenever someone criticizes your ability as an Avatar." He stepped forward to her side. "I believe the saying is "actions speak louder than words"."

She hummed at that before brightening. "You're right, Ulquiorra! I need to show the South that I am a capable Avatar. I have to show my support for them."

Ulquiorra didn't bother correcting her. Instead, Mako interjected, "I don't think that's what he was trying to say. Look, maybe you should sit this one out. I just think having you there blatantly supporting one side will only make things worse. You could at least try to seem neutral."

"I'm not neutral. The North invaded my home. The only reason I'm here is to get the Republic to send troops to help the South."

"Zhu Li has already scheduled a meeting for us with President Raiko tomorrow," Varrick interrupted. "We'll get him on board."

"Whatever, I gotta go to work." Mako walked away.

Asami also started moving. "I better go check on my factory."

"I'm going to find out about this peace march," Korra stated. Ulquiorra nodded and followed her lead.

-WH-

It was night time when the peace march happened outside of the Southern Water Tribe cultural center. Ulquiorra walked beside Korra, who was seated upon Naga's back. Behind them, hundreds of people followed their lead, holding candles and signs in protest of the North's invasion. On either side, crowds of bystanders and counter-protesters lined the streets. Barriers put up by the police department prevent them interrupting. Some were simply curious about the march while other angrily shouted insults at the marchers. The Hollow glanced up at the girl, seeing her visibly grow more upset at the Northerners.

Ulquiorra himself found this march to be a complete waste of his time. Peacefully protesting would not change a single thing in this situation, however, he decided to follow the Avatar's lead. If he followed her actions, she would become more open to his questions about the heart later on. "Do not worry about them," he attempted to comfort.

She shook her head. "I just don't understand. Why would the Northerners here be so hostile towards us?"

"It is likely that Unalaq has manipulated them with propaganda during his time as chief. From their words, it seems like they assume that Southerners are uncivilized or do not actively contribute to society."

Korra huffed. "Well, why don't-"

But before she could say another word, an explosion rang out behind them. The two turned to see the top floor of the Cultural Center had fire and smoke billowing out from the broken windows. Everyone stood in shock at the destruction above, the marchers, the onlookers, and ever the police force. Soon, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Korra acted quickly, bending the water from the fountain onto the fire. Her splashes of water didn't make a dent against the raging fire. Firetrucks immediately appeared on the scene.

Ulquiorra picked up something with his Pesquisa. Five tiny souls were crowded together on the second floor towards the right of the building, away from the windows. There was no easy entrance to get to their location. He decided to relay this information. "Korra, there are five children trapped inside."

"What?! But the building was supposed to be closed during the march!" she shouted in shock. The girl didn't question him though as she made a dash to get inside.

His hand closed around Korra's shoulder preventing her from taking another step towards the flames. She tried to shake him off. "What are you doing? I have to save them!"

"It is too dangerous for you, you would burn alive before you even made it to the second floor." He thought for a moment. "I will go."

"Ulquiorra…" Korra was at a loss for words. He didn't bother waiting for her as he jumped towards the window closest to where the children were. Screams were heard behind him as the crowd saw him go directly into the flames. He could even hear Beifong's shocked shouts from his height. The Hollow consciously hardened his Hierro. Although it was not the strongest of the Espada, it was certainly not the weakest. Even in this weakened state, flames should not affect him. Even so, he could feel the pressing heat around him. His Pesquisa told him that the children were straight ahead but the doorway had been blocked by fallen wooden beams. Ulquiorra could hear crying and coughing over the roar of the flames.

The Arrancar punched through the burning wood, getting ash all over his skin and clothes. He spotted them all hugging each other in the middle of the room, screaming and crying even harder now at the loud noise his entrance had made. Ulquiorra stepped towards them. "Be silent," he commanded. Their heads whipped towards him, seeing him making them cry even harder. They were between ten to thirteen years old. He was growing tired of this, fast. The fire growing closer also did not help. "I am here to save you. If you wish to be saved, cease your crying." At his blunt statement, their tears subsided. He nodded in satisfaction. Ulquiorra quickly grabbed the three smallest, two boys and a girl, and vanished.

He reappeared before Korra, dropping the children to the ground. He vanished again, returning for the last two. Just as he appeared, a large section of the ceiling started to fall. It would crush the boy and girl beneath it. There was no time to grab them and punching it would still break it up into large, dangerous pieces. His fist glowed red. " **Bala**."

The crowd watched in horror as the right half of the roof caved in. A shape of gray appeared, hovering above the wreckage. It moved forward towards the ground, revealing it to be Ulquiorra covered in soot. He dropped the two children that were hanging from his arms.

A mother from the line of marchers ran towards them. "Miki! Siku!" She grabbed the two teens and pushed them close to her body. "What were you doing in there?" she cried.

"I'm sorry, mama," the boy answered. The girl was harshly crying against her mother's shoulder. "We wanted to watch the march from a tall place, so we snuck into the cultural center." Tears appeared in his eyes. "But then, everything shook and there was fire everywhere!"

His mother hushed him and patted his back. They were directed over to the side by a police officer, where other parents of the children stood, comforting their offspring.

"Ulquiorra, that was amazing," Korra stated as she ran over to his side.

The Hollow simply nodded. He did not reveal that he had only done this to win more of her favor. He did not care whether or not the children would've died. That would be in bad taste.

"I'll say," a voice said from behind them. Beifong walked towards the pair. "Good job, Ulquiorra. I'm glad you saved those kids. We didn't even know anyone was up there. If you weren't here, we'd probably find their bodies in the rubble." She looked around, avoiding his gaze until she had enough. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said about you on the dock."

His head tilted slightly in confusion even though there was no visible change on his face. What made the Chief of Police change her mind? Ulquiorra realized that she was waiting for his response. "Apology accepted."

The woman let out a small huff, "Right." She nodded at the two of them and turning back to join the rest of her police force.

"C'mon," Korra tugged at his elbow. "Let's head back and you can wash up. We still have a meeting with President Raiko tomorrow, and it just got way more urgent."

-WH-

The next morning, they approached a regal-looking building decorated with golden roofs and a green dome. Varrick had joined Korra and Ulquiorra on their way to the President but wisely stood on the other side of the girl, opposite of the Hollow. His faithful assistant trailed behind them.

They walked past to the golden pillars to the large, ornate doors. "I hope President Raiko listens to us," Korra said, worry clear in her voice.

"Don't worry," Varrick answered. "I was a big contributor to his election campaign. Well, him and the other guy. Gotta hedge your bets." He winked.

Ulquiorra scoffed at his comment as they walked into the building. There, three men stood in the lobby. The man in the center wore a purple jacket with a pin in its lapel over a traditional eastern yellow shirt. The two men behind him were security guards, wearing matching blue outfits.

The Hollow observed the person who stood to their side, holding a camera with a large flashbulb. He blinked.

"Hello, Mr. President," Korra greeted. The man stepped up to take her hand. "Sir, the Southern Water Tribe-"

"Just a second," he interrupted before facing the crowd, still holding her hand. "Keep smiling."

Varrick had to poke the girl to bring out an awkward smile as the flash went off, briefly blinding them. After the photo, the president led them to his private office. In the center was a wooden table, around which had four seats. Two of which were single seats while the others were wooden couches. The president sat in the one furthest from the door with Korra sitting opposite to him and Varrick to her left. Ulquiorra stood beside her seat, not bothering to sit.

The man's eyes flickered to Ulquiorra and over his appearance. Raiko glanced back to the Avatar, before deciding to simply ignore him. "Now, how can I help the Avatar and my most generous supporter?"

"Unalaq's troops have invaded the South. We need you to send the United Forces to help." The girl got straight to the point.

"I'm very concerned by what's happening down there, but I don't think it's the Republic's place to interfere with internal Water Tribe matters."

"Unalaq isn't even the rightful ruler of the Water Tribe! He lied his way onto the Northern throne."

"Mr. President," Varrick butted in, "the Republic is already involved in this conflict. The North attacked our cultural center last night."

Raiko crossed his arms. "Believe me, we are doing everything we can to bring the people responsible to justice."

Ulquiorra stood silently as Korra angrily argued against the president's words. Politics was never something that he would enjoy. Barragan already gave him enough of that as "King of Hueco Mundo" and how he constantly failed to wrestle back a semblance of control from Lord Aizen. There was too much beating around the bush for his tastes. However, Varrick's words caught his attention as the man was clear to mention the Northerners were responsible for the bombing. There was no evidence of such a notion at the scene. How suspicious.

Suddenly, Korra stood from her seat. "You're the one who's lost perspective. I'm trying to save my tribe, and you're taking pictures!"

"Sending troops is not something I can do at this time, but I promise I will work with Unalaq and the South for a diplomatic solution." The president also rose. "Now, I'm sorry but my mind is made up. This meeting is over."

Korra's fists clenched. "My family is going to be wiped out and it'll be on your head for doing nothing about it." She stormed out of the room with Varrick joining her.

Ulquiorra blinked, still not moving from his spot.

"You should leave, sir," the president spoke.

The Hollow's catlike eyes met the president's pale ones. "It is true that the Water Tribe's conflict does not directly involve you, yet there are both Northern and Southern citizens living in your city if the cultural center is anything to go by. They most likely live in centralized areas as well. As the Tribe's civil war grows, your own city will be split apart beneath your feet, taking the rest of Republic City's citizens with them." Ulquiorra turned to the door. "I suggest you at least handle your disgruntled citizens before considering sending your troops."

He didn't bother looking back at the president's thoughtful expression.

-WH-

Ulquiorra watched as Korra stormed out of the apartment building and headed straight for the port without even acknowledging him. He straightened from where he was leaning against the wall to follow her. Korra had gone straight to Mako to speak with him about the meeting alone. She ordered him to find something else to do, however not wanting to hang around Varrick with Bolin or bother Asami who trying to save her own company, Ulquiorra had simply vanished and reappeared on a nearby roof time. The Arrancar had watched through the window as Korra shouted at Mako for most of the time while pacing, with the boy sitting on the couch calmly trying to give his own point of view. When the girl finally stormed out, Ulquiorra came back down to street-level.

They approached Varrick's ship without speaking, Korra still fuming in anger and Ulquiorra not wishing to have her explode on him. They ran into Asami as well, who had come to speak to the man about her company. The three moved into the control room, Ulquiorra first.

Ulquiorra spotted the bullseye at the top of the stairs before seeing Varrick blindfolded holding a bow. An arrow sped towards him, making the two girls shout in alarm. The Hollow easily caught it before it could pierce his eye.

"So cool," Bolin whispered, but everyone in the room heard him.

Varrick tugged off the cloth. "Oh, hello." He saw the arrow held in the spirit's hand and how he had stepped in front of the target. "Ulqiqi, you ruined my shot! I would've got it."

Ulquiorra dropped the arrow in his hand and stepped on it as he moved forward, snapping cleanly in two. He wished it was Varrick's spine.

Korra and Asami stepped up to his side as they approach Varrick and Bolin. The Avatar cut to the chase. "We can't wait for the president to act. We need those troops now."

"And my company is about to go under," Asami interjected. "I have to find a way to make some sales."

"Right, okay, got it." Varrick handed off his archery items to his assistant. "Idea storm. Get the supplies." Zhu Li quickly did as she was told. "You're about to get an inside look at how Varrick Global Industries stays at the forefront of imagination innovation. Or as I like to call it, "imagivation"! That's trademarked, by the way."

Zhu Li brought a pull-up bar, a pair of ankle bracers with hooks, and a plate of hot chili peppers. Varrick grabbed one and shoved it into his mouth as the rest of them watched in disbelief. His face turned a bright red. "Let's do this!" The man hung himself upside down from the bar.

As he was shouting nonsense, Ulquiorra thought of his own plans. The Avatar had introduced him as her own friend, implying that there was now an established connection between them. It was definitely a step towards understanding the human heart. What had made her call him a 'friend'? Was it simply because he voiced his agreement with her actions? That didn't make sense as he had previously countered her ideas with his own observations. What had made the Hollow transition from a stranger to a friend?

Suddenly, Korra spoke up, interrupting Varrick's ramblings. "I know General Iroh. He might be willing to help us."

Varrick agreed from his upside-down position. "A man on the inside, perfect." He looked at Asami. "And you need to sell some mecha-tanks. I know some people who need them. We'll ship 'em south!"

"That's perfect! You'll be making money for your company, and you'll be helping defeat Unalaq."

"It's true. If you can't make money during a war, you just flat-out cannot make money."

"It's dangerous on the seas right now, but I'm willing to try if you are," Asami said.

Varrick scoffed, "It'll be crazy risky, but I love crazy risky! End storm!" And with that, Varrick performed a double front flip from the bar, landing perfectly. "Zhu Li, get those other ideas to research and development. I want prototypes by next week."

Korra sighed. "I don't understand why it's so hard to get Republic City to support the South."

"Your president is human." Ulquiorra's sudden words brought their attention to him. "Like the rest, he is unwilling to forfeit power to benefit others. If Raiko were to support the South, he would lose the support of the Northern citizens living in Republic City and vice versa. Instead, it is to his favor to make it seem as if he respects the privacy of Water Tribe not intrude their fight."

"Which is why we won't bother with politicians anymore," Varrick interjected as he moved towards the film projector. "Instead, we'll go after the public's support! As soon as people see this, they'll be lining up to fight Unalaq." He pointed at it. "Zhu Li, do the thing." His assistant flipped a switch on the other side.

The reel started, showing a sepia-filtered film of lines of Northern troops. "I had a film crew documenting the entire Northern invasion." The film switched scenes to benders acting from the warships, and then, featured the female twin child of Unalaq.

Bolin screamed in fear before putting his hands to his mouth. "Sorry, I keep doing that."

"We're gonna cut this footage together with scenes we shoot of our superstar Bolin here playing a Southern Water Tribe hero battling the evil Unalaq." It sounded like a ploy for Varrick to earn more revenue, but Ulquiorra kept his mouth shut. "No one will root for the North after they see _The Adventures of Nuktuk: Hero of the South_!"

Varrick motioned to Bolin, which was the boy's cue to flex his arm. He looked towards the three others. "I'm Nuktuk! What do you think?"

The all blinked simultaneously without comment.

-WH-

Ulquiorra looked up from one of the few books Varrick had on his ship when Korra stomped into the room. It was about the original animal teachers of the benders. The Hollow had almost managed to get through Varrick's entire collection before Korra had returned from her meeting with General Iroh. He closed it and returned the novel to its shelf. "I assume that the talk with General Iroh did not go as planned." He did not phrase it as a question.

"No, Mako told President Raiko about our plan so the president came and interrupted our meeting. He ordered General Iroh couldn't have any ships leave the harbor." She growled angrily. "We're going to the Fire Nation to ask Fire Lord Zuko for help."

Ulquiorra nodded. It was interesting to hear about the relatives of the Iroh he had met in the spirit world, how his great-grandson was willing to go against his commander's back to help the Avatar. "How far is the Fire Nation?"

She motioned him to follow her out of Varrick's ship, speaking as they walked further down the port towards the speedboats. "Not too far. We'll have to take a speedboat if we want to make it there by tonight. Luckily, Varrick has a couple to borrow."

They hopped into a red one with Korra as the driver. Soon enough, Republic City was slowly receding into the horizon behind them.

The Hollow watched as a tear fell from the girl's eyes. The speed the boat was going at had them fall sideways. "What is the cause of your tears?" It was interesting to observe the numerous reasons why these humans cried.

"It's nothing," Korra said shortly.

Ulquiorra's cat-like eyes pinned her. Suddenly, his Pesquisa picked up two sources of reiatsu rapidly approaching from behind. He looked behind them to see two jet skis catching up to them. He stood up in his seat and faced the behind them.

"Ulquiorra?" Korra looked up to him.

"Your cousins have found us." A whip of water shot towards them. His fist glowed red. " **Bala**."

A red blast of energy smashed into the whip, destroying it. It continued towards the twins, causing them to swerve to avoid the attack. The two waterbenders continued to send whips of seawater, all of which were destroyed by Ulquiorra or dodged by Korra. Eventually, Ulquiorra fired a Bala at their jet skis, making the twins jump off to avoid their vehicles' explosions. They skated over the water, approaching the boat even faster than before.

Ulquiorra continued to send his red attack at Desna, who fell behind trying to avoid the speedy waves of energy. Of course, Ulquiorra wasn't actually attempting to hit the boy, as a direct hit would most likely cave the boy's chest in. Korra watched as Eska came closer to her side of the boat, her hair disheveled, and her purple eye makeup a mess.

"You ruined my wedding! No one steals my Bolin!" Eska shouted, letting out a scream as she bended the water underneath the boat.

A giant spike of ice split the boat in two. Ulquiorra wound an arm around Korra's waist and leaped off of the broken speedboat, its pieces skimming the top of the ocean before disappearing beneath the waves. He gathered invisible reishi beneath his feet and continued to run above the sea and twins below. Finally, Korra regained her bearings and nodded to Ulquiorra. He caught the motion and released his grip on her. The Avatar bended a pillar of swirling water beneath her, making it expand to slam against her cousins.

The two stopped in their tracks, leaving the tornado of water that protected Korra and Ulquiorra. The two continued to run, increasing the distance between the twins until they couldn't see Unalaq's children. The two slowed, regrouping with each other near the surface of the ocean.

Suddenly, the water broke next to them, revealing a giant sea creature. Ulquiorra's eyes visibly widened in surprise. _I couldn't sense it with my Pesquisa,_ he thought to himself. It looked as if it was made of ink, its form constantly shifting. It radiated a blue aura while its face was made of neon green markings. It had four long tendrils that whipped around.

Before Ulquiorra could even charge his Cero or Sonido out of the way, a thick tendril slammed into him with enough force to make him skip across the ocean's surface. "Ulquiorra!" Korra shouted.

His hand raked across the water to slow his tumble. Dust clouds of reishi kicked up as his feet slid against it. When Ulquiorra finally came to a stop he looked up to find Korra on a pillar of water, with her eyes glowing solid white, doing a purification ritual on the spirit. It slowly melted into gold, growing smaller and smaller against the water.

The monster suddenly surged back upwards, breaking through Korra's waterbending with a vicious roar. Ulquiorra blurred out of sight with Sonido, speeding towards the girl's direction. He wasn't fast enough as the spirit opened its face, revealing more acidic green, before shooting towards Korra. She attempted to blast fire into it, but the beast shoved her into the ocean below.

"Damn," Ulquiorra murmured under his breath. He dispersed the reishi beneath him, dropping the Hollow into the murky water. He saw Korra drift deeper into the emptiness, unconscious. Ulquiorra kicked his feet behind him and grabbed her wrist before she sunk any further. The Hollow burst from the ocean with a static noise. He hoisted Korra's body over his shoulder and reached out with his Pesquisa. Korra's reiryoku had changed from a strong, brilliant white glow to a muddled purple which was weakening by the minute. Republic City was too far away to go back for help. He turned in the opposite direction, an island barely peeking over the horizon line. Ulquiorra could sense a few souls living there and a pool of energy within the island island itself. His form blurred as he used Sonido to increase his speed tenfold.

Ulquiorra's chest was heaving as he finally landed onto the beach. His eyes quickly landed humans dressed in red and gray. They gasped as he approached, still soaking wet and with a girl over his shoulder. "You will help this girl, or you will forfeit your lives."

They tensed before realizing who the body over his shoulder was. "Avatar Korra?" the oldest out of the three gasped. "What happened to her?"

His mouth twitched downwards as the humans were wasting time. "She was attacked by a large beast. It has done something to her soul. You must heal her."

"Come, we will take you to the temple," the female one said. The three nodded to each other and started to move back up the path.

Ulquiorra followed behind. Korra started to mumble something under her breath over and over. "Raava… Raava…" she kept calling. "Who… where…" the girl asked disoriented.

"Korra," Ulquiorra called out. It was likely that she was concussed but her mental abilities should still be in tact.

"Who… who's Korra?"

Shit. Her soul was deteriorating faster than he anticipated. The three before him overheard the girl's question and hastened their pace. They entered a large chamber in the temple. Waiting by a stone table and a golden statue of worship, a short elderly woman stood with a red attire and a golden hairpin. The woman turned to them.

"We found them on the beach. The Avatar is injured and cannot remember anything," the female explained without question.

The elder looked to Ulquiorra, observing his form. "Place her here, Hollow." She motioned to the stone table.

Ulquiorra's usually emotionless face transformed into shock as he heard her title for him. It was impossible that the humans of this world knew of his kind. Still, he did not hesitate as he placed Korra on the table, who was still deliriously calling for Raava.

The elder slowly breathed in, her hands moving upwards before returned down towards Korra. The woman's palms ignited with fire. A pale hand tightly grasped her wrist, stopping her from moving closer. "What do you think you are doing, woman." It was not a question.

The elder did not look at him, still calm as her hands glowed steadily. "I am reading her energy through my bending. If I do not check, I will not know what is wrong with the Avatar."

Ulquiorra at her blankly before releasing her bony wrist. The woman was nonplussed as she continued her scan, her lit palms hovering over Korra's body. "A dark energy has infected her. We must purge it before it destroys her Avatar spirit."

Ulquiorra hummed thoughtfully. "I see. It must have been a dark spirit that attacked her." It looked different from what he had expected.

The flames went out. "Follow me, Hollow, and bring the Avatar with you." The woman started walking toward another hall. Ulquiorra scooped Korra's body into his arms and went after the elder, her followers also coming with them. They went down many flights of stairs until they reached an underground cave. Mist swirled from a glowing hole in the floor. Ulquiorra could feel the reishi in the air, emanating from the spot. Torches lined the rock pillars.

A net was suspended over the hole with a crank mechanism next to it. The young male of the group headed over to the crank and grasped it firmly.

The old woman nodded to him. "Place her there." Ulquiorra dropped her into the netting. He could see the opening below lead to a lake inside the cave, with hexagonal smooth pillars making up its walls. As the man lowered Korra into the cave below, the old woman spoke to the unconscious girl. "Let the waters cleanse the darkness that plagues your spirit." Korra's body was lowered until she was practically submerged in the water, her face still above it so she could breathe.

"Now we must wait," The elder stated as she lowered herself to the ground, resting on her knees.

"No. You will answer me, woman," Ulquiorra stated. "How do you know of what I am?"

* * *

 **Haha. Finals. :))))**

 **Boom, and there's chapter four. I'm actually almost done with writing Season 2, it only being seven chapters total before we head into Season 3. I'm so excited to post the season finale, probably more excited than y'all are. I'm super proud of it. Also, sorry for all the cuts in this chapter, but man the episodes kept jumping scenes so it was pretty hard to keep them connected. Next chapter we'll dive a bit into Korra's memories, but not too much since it isn't a huge part of the story.**

 **Oooo, old lady firebender knows something that Ulquiorra doesn't and that's got him shook. I'm still not completely sure if I want it to head in this direction since it will mess with canon for a bit, but that's fan fiction baby. Here's a hint, who does Wan look like when he grows out his beard? ;)**

 **Want sneak peaks and random updates about my life? Check out my Tumblr, _the-simplest-writer._**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome!**

 **The Simplest Writer**

 **Fun Fact: My favorite character in the Avatar verse is probably Uncle Iroh. I wish I had an Uncle Iroh in my life. He's just such a likable character and he's always so wise. Probably why I had Ulquiorra meet him first. When he reappeared in LoK I think I legit squealed out loud.**


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